17/12/2009LLAMFF - Not to be Missed

Mark down the weekend of March 5th - 7th in your 2010 calendar for the Llanberis Mountain Film Festival, affectionately known as LLAMFF. Situated at the foot of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) and the Llanberis Pass there are few festival venues in Britain that can claim to be so much a part of climbing's rich heritage.

LLAMFF is a festival where you can expect the unexpected and grass roots is its mantra. Previously held biannually it will now be a yearly event with Mountain Equipment as the main sponsor. Based in Llanberis, DMM will naturally also be supporting this important village festival that reaches out to involve the whole community.

The headline guest for 2010 will be Stephen Venables, who is set to take audiences on a journey In the Steps of Shackleton across South Georgia. Stephen was the first Briton to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen and was forced to bivouac at 28,000 ft on the descent. His first book, Painted Mountains, won the 1986 Boardman Tasker Prize.

The busy programme will be finalised in early February and include films from the competition and Best of Banff Festival, big name speakers such as Dave MacLeod and Steve McClure, High Street art exhibitions, the famous quiz and party, bouldering comp, plus all the usual esoterica guaranteed!

The film competition has four categories - Main Feature, Short, Newcomer and People's Choice - with the 31st January as the deadline for submissions. More info and to download an application form go to LLAMFF.

New for 2010 will be the Friends of LLAMFF scheme. Tickets are now on sale, available from V12 Outdoor and Joe Brown's either online or by telephone - a pair of tickets could be the ideal Christmas present.